New England RU Ready? Planning for Implementation of AASL

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New England RU Ready?Planning for Implementation
of AASLs Standards and Guidelines

• Susan Ballard
• AASL Standards and Guidelines Implementation Task
  Force

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The American Association of School Librarians
(AASL) has launched a national initiative to
support states, school systems and individual
schools in implementing the Standards for the
21st-Century Learner and the soon-to-be completed
Guidelines for the School Library Media Program
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This plan is entitled Learning4Life (L4L) and is
available online at http//www.ala.org/aasl/learni
ng4life.
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The Implementation Plan

• Identifies Guiding Principles and an Overarching
  Position/Branding Statement
• Identifies Target Audiences (internal and
  external)
• Identifies Training Opportunities and Resources
• Provides a Communication Plan
• Provides a Plan for Continuous Feedback,
  Evaluation and Sustainability
• Provides a Plan for Endorsements and Support
• Provides Supporting Documents

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Guiding Principles

• One Size Does Not Fit All
• Common Vocabulary and Message

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Responsibilities

• AASL
• State Affiliates
• SLMS Educators-ELMSS section
• District Coordinators - SPV Section
• Building-level SLMS

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Eighteen Objectives

• Strategies and Activities
• who, what when where and how
• Resources and Training
• Communications
• Evaluation

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What are we aiming to achieve?

1. Introduce and build awareness
2. Create understanding of the standards/guidelines
   and commitment
3. Develop a shared vision
4. Sustain the vision

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Implementation Advocacy

• Advocacy is a means of building awareness and
  support and is developed incrementally over time

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Advocacy Planning
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Who is the target audience (internal or external)?

• Who are they and how do you motivate them?
• How do you assure them that their agenda/needs
  will be assisted by what we have to offer

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Target Audiences

• What do you know about them, their priorities and
  interests?
• What do you need to find out?

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Barriers

• What are the things that will get in your way?
• Money, time, physical surroundings, personal
  biases, fear, stereotypes, organized opposition,
  not knowing enough about your target group, not
  doing your homework or, ALL of the above?

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Barriers

• What are you afraid of?
• Rejection, public speaking, failure, politics,
  accountability, lack of support, saying the wrong
  thing, loss of personal time, competition, not
  knowing the answers, being misunderstood, being
  misquoted, the media or, ALL of the above?

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Where

• Where is the most appropriate place for you
  to communicate with your target audience?

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When

• When is the most appropriate and convenient
• time for your target group to hear from you?

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Predispositions

• What do your audiences know or think about you?
• What would you like them to know or think about
  you?

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What? (the message)

• Stay on Message and keep it short and simple.
• This is who we are, and this is what we do and
  this is why it matters.

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Resources/Training

• What do you need to find out?
• Whom do you know who might have the information
  you need?
• What research might you need to do?

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Communications

• What could be used? (Brainstorm)
• What will be used? look at your strategies and
  decide which tool is most appropriate
• Who (is going to do it?) Who is your best
  presenter? Who writes well? Who has the most
  credibility? Who is the best match? Who has
  media training?

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How will we know if we have succeeded?
At the completion of the initiative, AASL
envisions school library media programs that
prepare learners to thrive in a complex
information society, seek diverse perspectives,
gather and use information ethically and use
social tools responsibly and safely.
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Evaluation

• Decide how you will measure if you achieved
• your objective/s

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Why is it important to achieve it?
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If you believe that

• Reading is a window to the world.
• Inquiry provides a framework for learning.
• Ethical behavior in the use of information must
  be taught.
• Technology skills are crucial for future
  employment needs.
• Equitable access is a key component for
  education.
• The definition of information literacy has become
  more complex as resources and technologies have
  changed.
• The continuing expansion of information demands
  that all individuals acquire the thinking skills
  that will enable them to learn on their own.
• Learning has a social context.

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Then it follows that

• School libraries are essential to the
  development of learning skills.

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What Can You Do Now? How do we get from 1 to 4?
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Time to Plan
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Plan Review
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Feedback and Sharing
learning4life_at_ala.org
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• Susan D. Ballard, Director
• Library Media and Technology
• Londonderry NH School District
• sballard_at_londonderry.org